ESPN Replaces John Harkes With Taylor Twellman As Lead Soccer Analyst
In a move that should please a significant portion of the soccer-watching population, Grant Wahl is reporting ESPN will not renew soccer analyst John Harkes’ contract. Former New England Revolution and USA striker Taylor Twellman will replace him on MLS and USMNT broadcasts. Twellman had been working for ESPN in studio coverage.
This should be an upgrade. Harkes was never obtrusively bad calling a game. The trouble was he was neither charismatic nor very insightful, a point made readily apparent when paired with a dynamo like Ian Darke. Urban Meyer speaking in a monotone and breaking down precisely how an offense works is great. Harkes dropping knowledge bombs like “David Beckham is a quality player” is not so great.
From what I’ve experienced, Twellman is earnest, charming, knowledgeable and well-spoken. Expect ESPN to groom him into the soccer equivalent of Herbstreit.
[Photo via Getty]
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24 Responses to “ESPN Replaces John Harkes With Taylor Twellman As Lead Soccer Analyst”
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November 21st, 2011 at 4:33 PM
who gives a shit?
November 21st, 2011 at 4:34 PM
/shits
//gives it
November 21st, 2011 at 4:34 PM
who gives a shit?
People who are up at 4:30 AM to catch a game on ESPN?
I like McManaman with Darke. But I guess Twellman will be focused primarily on US Soccer and MLS, right?
November 21st, 2011 at 4:35 PM
Yes. Rightfully so, I don’t think Macca could handle having to watch the quality of those two products.
November 21st, 2011 at 4:36 PM
who gives a shit?
All of us who are occasionally subjected to watching ESPN broadcast soccer and who have had to deal with Harkes and his inane comments.
November 21st, 2011 at 4:36 PM
Expect ESPN to groom him into the soccer equivalent of Herbstreit.
Aim high.
November 21st, 2011 at 4:37 PM
martyrs.
November 21st, 2011 at 4:37 PM
Twellman’s pretty good in front of the camera. I saw him with Beadle earlier this year, he wanted to hit it. What about Lalas, I thought he was lead analysis?
November 21st, 2011 at 4:38 PM
I’m not a huge fan of Twellman but he has to be better than Harkes. Harkes was not a pro when it came to broadcasting because it was clear that he never did any homework and just stated the most obvious info. Then he would just repeat what he’d said every 5 minutes while constantly talking over the game.
November 21st, 2011 at 4:38 PM
Lalas is studio guy.
November 21st, 2011 at 4:38 PM
Expect ESPN to groom him into the soccer equivalent of Herbstreit.
Aim high.
If he’s good, he could be the next Jay Bilas.
November 21st, 2011 at 4:39 PM
Did they miss the boat on Gus Johnson?
November 21st, 2011 at 4:40 PM
There Is A God.
Harkes is part of the ever growing, Douchecanoe, First Order brigade.
Twellman is solid in the booth too.
November 21st, 2011 at 4:41 PM
martyrs.
You still handing out shit to people? You’re so selfless.
November 21st, 2011 at 4:42 PM
come on down from that cross and say that to my face, fagmata.
November 21st, 2011 at 4:43 PM
twellman hates arriaga II, but loves arriaga. should be fun to not watch.
November 21st, 2011 at 4:43 PM
If you guys got Marv Albert to announce a soccer game, I’d probably watch that. Marv could make the Spelling Bee sound like Game 7 of the World Series.
November 21st, 2011 at 4:45 PM
come on down from that cross and say that to my face, fagmata.
Did you just call me Thad Matta?
November 21st, 2011 at 4:46 PM
the fuck is wrong with you, boy?
November 21st, 2011 at 4:47 PM
what if i did?
November 21st, 2011 at 4:48 PM
I’m a wounded animal right now. Jay’s thumb is broken, the Blackhawks got sodomized twice in Alberta this weekend and we’re still not sure if Brent Seabrook is going to be OK. I’m vulnerable.
November 21st, 2011 at 4:51 PM
what if i did?
/farts into hand and throws it into spencer’s face
November 21st, 2011 at 5:48 PM
About time they made this move, Harkes needed to go. Hopefully Fox Soccer or NBC don’t go after him
November 21st, 2011 at 8:39 PM
Twellman sucks too. You are replacing Shit with Piss. I guess it’s a bit of an upgrade, but nothing worth getting hard over.
That Minor League Soccer dominance.